Vehicle-top



(No Model.)

T.. B. MGCURDY.

VEHICLE TOP.

atented Apr. 24, 1888.

@v1-usenf- @mns-11" @WMM/meas. Snow/woz N Firms. rmm-Llmngmphef. wnshingmm DA C UNITED Srn'rEs THOMAS B. MOCUBDY, OF LANCASTER, TEXAS.

VEHICLEQTOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,630, dated April 24, 1888.

Application filed February 3, 1888. Serial No. 252,883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. MCCUEDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Vehicle-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in vehicle-tops, with a view to providing simpler, cheaper, and lighter means for securing the curtains in place, and, furthermore, to provide means such that the curtains may be readily removed and attached.

Theinvention herein shown and described is designed as an improvement upon thc construction forming the subjectmatter of Patent No. 367,540, which was granted to me on August 2, 1887; and it consists in a certain novel construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully set forth in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a side view, partlyin section, of a vehicle-top constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line as, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A A designate the supporting-bows of the vehicletop, the vertical or standard portions of which are rabbeted, as seen at B. Plates C are let into the outer sides of the standard portions of the bows, so that merely grooves are forrned in the edges ofthe bows. lhese grooves may be formed in any other suitable way, as by channeling the edges of the standards. Parallel grooves D I) are formed in the horizontal or upper portions of the bows, and one end of each of these grooves communicates with the upper end of one of the grooves or rabbets B inthe standards, as above mentioned. Thus continuous grooves are formed which extend from the lower ends of the vertical portions of the bows to the opposite sides ofthe upper or horizontal portions of the bows. The upper ends of these grooves overlap each other, as will be seen in Fig. 2, but they are entirely separate.

Longitudinal strips E E are secured to the upper portions of the bows, to which are secured the cover F, of oilcloth, canvas, or

other equi valent or suitable material.

The curtain-supporting frame G comprises the vertical strips H H and the cross-bars II, of metal or wood, as preferred. The edges of the side strips, H, are provided with the Inetallio tongues KK, which engage and operate in the grooves formed by the rabbets B and plates C, so that the curtain-supporting frame may be raised, and, guided by the grooves D, will slide under the cover F. The fra-mes of opposite sides' of the vehicle will assume positions parallel with each other. By removing the plates C the supportingi'rarnes may he removed from the bows, as will be seen.

The curtain-supporting frames are covered with oil-cloth, canvas, or other suitable material, which is represented in the drawings by the letter L, and thelower ends of the frames are provided with the loops M M, to serve as handles to enable the saine to be operated.

lWhen the curtainsupporting frame is raised,

the tongues follow the grooves in the edges of the bows, and therefore in order to enable the frames to bend its side strips are formed ot' metal, preferably steel.

The back and front of the vehicle may be provided with curtains arranged in a. similar manner to that just described.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim-f As an improvement in vehicle tops, the combination of the supporting-bows having grooves in their side, the upper ends of the grooves overlapping the curtain-supporting frames, comprising the flexible side bars, H, provided with lateral tongues fitting inthe grooves of the supporting-bows, and the crossbars I, secured to the side bars, H, and having their ends tted in said grooves, and the covering L, secured to said frame, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed m y signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOlWIAS B. MGGURDY.

Witnesses: E. G. STUART,

WM. M. GEORGE. 

